John Carter and his Princess
by AthenaMay24
Summary: John Carter returns to Barsoom after ten long years to find his wife about to be forced into marriage with another man. Includes elements from the books and the movie. I own nothing.
1. Chapter 1: The Return of The Warlord

Ch. 1: The Return of The Warlord

The door to the council room was thrown open. Dejah Thoris squinted into the Barsoomian midday sun. Silhouetted across the doorway was a strapping man. He crossed the vast distance from the door to her so quickly that she only barely had enough time to register his nudity before he was upon her. Still blinded by the harsh sun, she did not know who the naked man was, even as he took her up and kissed her fiercely, so fiercely it hurt. She gave a small cry before sinking into the kiss. Whoever this man was he kissed just like . . . but she didn't allow herself to finish the thought. Her royal guards had rushed forward to drag the stranger off of her but had been stopped by her closest friend, Kantos Kan.

The man seemed to recover himself and drew back. Dejah kept her eyes closed and her face down, afraid to look.

"I apologize if that was wrong of me," the man said in a southern drawl. Her eyes flew open and a sort of moan escaped her lips as she threw herself back on him and kissed him again. She suddenly pulled away and looked into the face of her husband, John Carter of Virginia.

She never loosened her grip on him as she murmured into his chest, "My chieftain, you've returned to me," so softly that only he heard. He sighed. John was so relieved at his wife's use of the Barsoomian endearment. He had been so afraid that she had found someone else.

"Well, John Carter, speak of the devil!" Kantos exclaimed, thumping John on the back. This seemed to knock the rest of the room out of their stupor. The room exploded with hushed exclamations as everyone stared at the Prince and Princess of Helium.

"Kantos, Kaor! Did I happen to be the subject of y'all's meeting? Or is there some other devil I should know about?"

Dejah, who was still staring into the face of her once lost love, replied quite sharply, "The council has been pestering me to remarry since about a month after your disappearance. They need a man to become Jeddak. Kantos and I'd managed to hold them off until today, when Kantos changed his vote!" She glared at him.

"I feel I will not be easily forgiven for that." Kantos sighed.

Dejah suddenly noticed a few serving girls in the corner who were ogling her husband more than she appreciated. She snapped at them to go fetch him some clothes.

John chuckled a bit at his wife's sudden jealousy before asking seriously, "Remarry?" He looked questioningly at his wife.

"I didn't want to, I tried everything. Don't be angry!" Dejah looked on the verge of tears.

"Of course I'm not angry, love, but I would like to know just who you would have been marrying."

"That would be me." A man stepped out of a corner of the room where he had been watching the couple like everyone else. "I don't believe we've met. The name's Zeam Rowni." He paused and looked at Dejah in a way that neither of them liked. "And I would've taken great care of your wife."

"Well, officially," an older member of the council stood up, "we did just vote for the Princess to marry Prince Rowni."

"Prince?" John whispered to Kantos.

"Yes, Prince of Ptarth."

"We must decide if the ruling will stand," the council member continued.

"Excuse me?!" Dejah cried, but was prevented by the arrival of John's 'clothing'. The harnesses of Barsoom are the only things that cover them, and can be extremely skimpy.

Dejah's grandfather, the current Jeddak of Helium, stood and announced, "We shall discuss this later, but for now, send the swiftest fliers to the four corners of Barsoom. Proclaim that the Warlord of Barsoom has returned!"


	2. Chapter 2: Feasting

Ch. 2: Feasting

Dejah caught up with her grandfather outside of the throne room, all the while keeping a firm grip on John's hand.

"My Jeddak, I can assure you there is no way I will consent to marriage to that-" She broke off and started again, "It is against the laws of Helium for a woman to have two husbands!"

"Do not quote the laws to me, Princess. I am afraid that Zeam will call for an annulment."

"What?" Dejah stopped walking abruptly. "I did not just get my chieftain back to lose him again!"

"Yes, well, take it up with the council. Their ruling will stand." He turned to face them, "Good luck." He said in a kinder tone before striding off.

John was so quiet through this whole exchange that, if not for her grip on his hand, she'd think him gone again.

She turned to look at him as they crossed the threshold of their royal bedchamber. Breaking away suddenly, she sank onto the bed and began to cry.

He was beside her in an instant, "My princess . . ." he said softly.

"I'm so sorry, John. I swear by Issus that I had nothing to do with that and I would rather abdicate than marry anyone else and lose you and I knew you weren't dead, I thought I'd feel something if you were, but no one believed me and Zeam Rowni wouldn't leave me alone and I was so scared and then Kantos betrayed me and. . . and, my chieftain, you must believe me!" She was practically gasping after rambling for so long and he didn't help her breathing by kissing her and pulling her onto his lap.

"I believe you, Dejah. And as for Kantos, if it was true and I was dead, I would agree with him."

"You would want me to marry someone else?" she looked up at him, her big brown eyes confused.

"I have currently two great loves in my life-"

"Two?" She said indignantly.

"Allow me to finish, love. The biggest would be you, my princess. The second is Helium. I know that you will be the best thing for Helium when it becomes your time to reign and I know Kantos feels the same. If I were him I would want to do whatever it took to keep you on the throne. However, as I am not him, I never want you to be unhappy. If I'm what makes you happy, then I'm here to stay." He spread his arms wide to aid his explanation.

She said nothing, just let him hold her. After a while he asked, "What did you mean when you said that Zeam Rowni wouldn't leave you alone?"

"Oh, well," she gave a nervous laugh, "he would approach me in the halls and comment on all the things he would do to me once we were married. Like sexual stuff." She said in a small voice.

He tensed up around her and she felt his anger radiating off of him. She buried her face in his chest and exclaimed, "I'm sorry! I did nothing to encourage him! Please believe me."

He immediately softened and chuckled a little, "Dejah, my love, why are you so intent on thinking that I believe you unfaithful?"

She looked up at him, tears glistening on her perfect face. "Well, there were rumors. . ."

He cut her off, "No rumor should cause you to think that I would be mad _at you_ because someone is harassing you."

She smiled, "I guess it does sound silly."

"Zeam just better hope that I don't bump into him in the corridor at night." John continued.

Dejah said nothing, just looked down to hide her blush.

Eventually she stood and said hesitantly, "I must change for the feast . . ."

"Go, I will be here when you return." She nodded went to move away but he grabbed her hand and turned her to look at him, "I will never put you, or myself, through that again. I swear by Issus."

She nodded again and kissed him before disappearing into one of the twin closets.

When she came out again her attire was extremely different. She had been wearing a blue Barsoomian gown of mourning, which could almost pass for human clothing. When she returned she was wearing a skimpy bejeweled harness befitting a Princess of Helium.

"I must say, I like this one better. Not that the other wasn't beautiful." John remarked as he took in her perfect figure and curves which had been hidden for so long. "There will be many jealous men at the feast tonight who haven't seen you this way in ten years."

"Worried?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Not at all; I can fight them off."

She snorted teasingly. "You're very confident," She said as she put an arm around his neck and pulled herself close to him.

"I'm confident that even if I can't handle them, you will never stray." And he kissed her so deeply it sent her heart aflutter and she felt waves of heat that started in her face and ended in her toes.

They were so involved in each other that it took a while before they registered the loud, annoyed rapping at the door. They broke apart but not before Kantos glimpsed what he had interrupted. Blushing, he said that he was to take them to the feast.

As the followed Kantos down the hall, John suddenly grabbed Dejah's arm and pulled her aside. "Dejah, my princess, I believe that the council will announce its decision at the feast and there is something I must confess first."

She realized that whatever it was, John thought it would make her change her mind about him. "There is nothing you could've done in those ten years that would make me want to give you up, my chieftain!" she exclaimed, surprised that he would even think such a thing.

He didn't look convinced but said, "Well, I might not have been completely faithful . . ." he hurried on, "but everything I did, I swear to you by Issus, was to come back to you and my home!"

"OK," his words had such a ring of truth to them that even if she wished, she couldn't disbelieve him. She was uncertain as to what he meant, but, seeing as they were running late, only said, "I believe you, John, and I wish to know what you mean, but not now. Kantos is coming back."

John looked as if he wasn't sure whether to be relieved or guilty or both that she didn't want an explanation from him now. And Kantos was indeed approaching, exasperated.

"Come now, I realize that it has been ten years and all, but try to stay a decent distance apart at the feast. All these foreign dignitaries are very touchy."

John laughed, "I remember, and that is why I must do this," he kissed her soundly while Kantos snorted with annoyance, "to hold myself off until this stupid thing is over." He finished as Kantos rolled his eyes.

Dejah slapped her chieftain playfully on the chest as they started down the hallway once more. "Oh, stop, you're embarrassing him!" she seemed to have temporarily forgotten her earlier anger, "And this feast isn't stupid! It is to celebrate your return to us. I suggest you behave!"

"Yes, ma'am!" he mock saluted cheerfully, every bit the happy returning husband he should be, but she noticed a shadow in his face, the only remnant of the previous conversation.

"So, John, sounds like you'd best be real careful at this feast," Kantos nodded to Dejah, "if you want any company tonight."

John chuckled, but tightened his grip on Dejah. He knew this was the beginning of a long night of similar comments. Kantos didn't mean anything by it, he knew, Barsoomians made these remarks to each other all the time. He also knew that Dejah didn't like them, and he really didn't either.

They'd reached the feast hall antechamber when their way was blocked by something towering and green. No sooner had the green thing stepped in their way, than John was almost knocked down by a mass of smooth skin and stubbly legs.

"Tars Tarkas, my old friend! And Woola and Sola too! Y'all are a sight for sore eyes." John clapped his oldest Barsoomian friend on the back with a smile, but his smile faded when he saw the look on Tars' face.

"Dotar Sojat!" Tars said in a commanding voice that made even the still frolicking Woola stop to listen. "Have you any idea what this one," he jerked one of his four thumbs at Dejah, "went through when you disappeared on your wedding night?" But then he smiled and John realized that he was happy to see him. "Not to mention my daughter!" at this Sola looked embarrassed but smiled fondly at her father. "But seriously, how could you leave her at the mercy of the council?"

John was prevented from answering by a soldier arriving to fetch them to be announced. He stared at John briefly and, his eyes widening, ran off on his duties.

John sent his calot to his room and waved to the Tharks before letting Dejah lead him to the ornate arch in the middle of the feasting room. He was afraid that his practice of Barsoomian culture and etiquette was a bit rusty, not that he was that caught up on it in the first place. He added that to the things Zeam and his followers could use against him.

They were announced among many cheers. Linked arm in arm and bowing their heads to acknowledge the people around them, they made their way to their seats.

The crowd hushed as the Jeddak, Dejah's grandfather, stood to make an announcement. "There has been some debate upon the arrival of our beloved Warlord. At the end of the feast, the council shall meet to decide the fate of Helium. Foreign representatives are welcome to attend but not participate and all guards must remain in the feasting hall. That is all."

Dejah bit her lip and looked concernedly at her husband, who said, "There is nothing we can do until the meeting. I suggest you try to enjoy the feast until then." She looked unconvinced. "It will be fine, love, you needn't be concerned." He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Rowni won't touch you while I live, if that's what you are worried about. You're safe from that calot!" She nodded and he drew back as the first course arrived.

As he ate (announcing, "Best food I've ever tasted") and spoke with the couple next to him, he kept an eye on Zeam Rowni. Zeam was staring at Dejah almost covetously and it angered John to consider what the Ptarthian Prince was thinking. Noticing that Zeam's looks were upsetting Dejah as well, John casually put his arm around her along the back of her chair. Still continuing his conversation with the oblivious couple, John continued to watch Zeam at his place a few chairs down and across from Dejah.

Dejah ate daintily and very, very little, a fact which didn't go unnoticed by John. She was filled with so many emotions that she could barely swallow. She felt like she could cry, laugh, and sing all at the same time. It felt so good to have John back beside her that she felt as though her heart would burst. The thought that she might be given to that awful Zeam Rowni scared her so much that a knife, cold and hard, felt to be lodged in her stomach. She still looked at John like he might disappear and was finding it difficult to converse politely as she should. She was almost relieved when the Jeddak announced that the meeting would be beginning shortly.

John kept a firm hand around her waist as he led her, this time, to the council room. His touch did as much to reassure her as it did set her heart ablaze with the joy of being held by him again.


	3. Chapter 3: The Verdict

Ch 3: The Verdict

The conference room filled up, council members, Zeam Rowni, Dejah, John, and the Jeddak sat at the round table and foreign Jeddaks, Jeddadaras, Jeds, and other important figures filed into the stadium seating around the table.

Kantos fidgeted because, John assumed, he would be changing his vote. If Kantos didn't change his vote, however, John knew that it would be the last straw for Dejah and their friendship.

Before the voting there was a time for everyone to share their opinions. As Zeam prepared to give his speech, John looked down at his princess. Her face was pale and drawn and her body, clearly visible in the revealing harness, was shaking. Her hand clutched his in a death grip and he fully realized what it would do to her if the vote went against them.

He began to draw hearts on the back of her hand, the only real reassurance he could give her in this room full of people. He wanted to pull her to him and crush his lips to her until she stopped shaking and was still and safe in his arms.

"My friends," Zeam began, "I would like to start by personally welcoming the Warlord back to Helium." John inclined his head in acknowledgement even though what he wished to do was run him through for scaring and harassing his Dejah.

"I shall get right to the point. A Jeddadara's main purpose is to produce heirs. They are prized for their fertility above all. Now any one with eyes can see that Dejah Thoris is a perfect specimen of the perfect Barsoomian candidate for Jeddadara," Zeam smiled maliciously at Dejah and John, who unconsciously reached for his sword hilt, a fact that no one failed to notice. "I must say, however sadly, that John Carter has not proven himself compatible with red women, at least that we know of." John did not like the implication that he was sleeping around with other women. "Despite the repeated claims that she and John Carter consummated their marriage, a fact, I might add, that kept me satisfied until it was certain that no child would come of it, no baby arrived!" He paused and John, slightly surprised to be reminded of their wedding night in this manner, noticed that Dejah had flinched remarkably. He made a note to ask her about it later as Zeam continued his speech. "I myself wish that the Warlord and Princess of Helium could be together as they so obviously wish to be, but I can't help wondering if a child will come from that union. I would like to volunteer myself as the next ruler of Helium because I know that, together, Dejah and I will create many beautiful heirs." He licked his lips and sat down and Dejah shuddered at what he was implying.

The Jeddak called for anyone else to speak but Dejah, not being a full member of the council because of her sex, could not, and John's only thoughts consisted of threats, which would not go over well.

As the votes were being counted by the Jeddak, one pile of ballots was definitively larger than the other. It was unclear, however, which stack that was.

Dejah held her breath as the Jeddak finally spoke. While the votes were counted, Zeam had been making obscene gestures and mouthing obscene things at her, to John's chagrin, but now he turned to watch the Jeddak expectantly.

"The verdict is clear. My granddaughter will remain in her current union. However-" he raised his voice to be heard over the mutters and, to Dejah, the relieved beating of her heart. "However," he repeated softer, "Zeam makes a point. _I _decree," and he stressed the pronoun, "that if it is proven that John Carter is incompatible with the Princess, a substitute will be chosen. Their marriage will remain intact, but Dejah Thoris _must_ provide an heir. I wish happiness to you both," he added directly to John and Dejah.

Dejah felt herself being lifted and spun around by an enthusiastic John, but she was still processing the Jeddak's last words.

John was still holding her aloft when he noticed the look in her eye. "What's wrong, Dejah. We won . . ." he trailed off as she burst into tears. He put her down quickly, "My princess, Dejah, my love, have I done something?"

"No, no," she gulped and continued, gasping, "Did you not hear what he said? The condition he made?" She slid back into tears again.

He wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear, "Oh, that? I'm not worried. I am sure that it won't be necessary. It's only if we can't produce an heir. And as you pointed out earlier, I'm very confident man when it comes to my abilities . . ." She laughed and wiped her eyes.

As they were leaving the council room and unfamiliar man approached them, "John Carter, I apologize, I am sure that you wish to retire with your wife, but I must speak with you. It's really quite urgent." The man looked so flustered that John could only oblige him.

"Dejah, I'll meet you in our room, okay?" she nodded and kissed him on the cheek.

Dejah had reached the hall outside their room, when she heard someone behind her. She turned, wondering why John hadn't called to her. The man wasn't John.

"Hello, princess," Zeam Rowni snarled, "I figured I'd come and give you a preview of what you'll get when Carter is proved incapable. I'm sure you'll love having my children." He stepped toward her.

"You wouldn't dare touch me! Not with John coming." She said braver than she felt.

"Oh, wouldn't I?" he shoved her against the wall and pressed one arm against her shoulder, pinning her there. He leaned forward to kiss her and forced his way into her mouth. She struggled and bit down on his tongue hard. He jumped back, but kept her stuck and slapped her face. Before she could recover, he was on her again, his grip painful. She kept turning, trying to escape, but he was relentless until she heard what she had been praying for: John's voice.

When John noticed that Zeam Rowni was nowhere to be found, he finished up with the man as quickly as possible and ran toward their bedchamber. As John rounded the corner and saw his perfect, beautiful wife scared and struggling in the arms of that monster, he saw red. He crossed the distance in a bound and pressed his sword tip to Zeam's neck.

"Step away from my wife," he said dangerously, in a voice that scared even Dejah.

Zeam stopped kissing her, but didn't let go of her and deliberately, without looking at John, reached a hand out and stroked Dejah's face. Dejah made a small whimpering noise against her will and Zeam, enjoying it, had time to painfully squeeze her before John ripped him away and put himself between Zeam and Dejah.

Zeam laughed, "You can do nothing to me. I am a visiting Prince. Killing me would spark a war between Helium and Ptarth. And who wants that?" With these words he strode off.

John watched him until he was around the bend before leading Dejah into their bedroom and shutting the door. He was acutely aware of his promise to Dejah at the feast that Zeam wouldn't touch her.

"Dejah," he began, trying to find some way to apologize, when she threw herself at him and clutched at him like a lifeline. "Dejah," he said her name again, tenderness overcoming his anger. He carried, almost dragged, her to the bed and leaned back against the headboard. Dejah clung to his chest, half hysterical. "Dejah!" he removed her clenched hands from around his harness and forced her to look into his eyes. "My princess, please, are you hurt?" his voice shook with returned anger as he examined her for injury. She had bruises on her right shoulder where he had gripped her; her cheek was also purpling from where John assumed he struck her.

"Dejah, love, did he hit you?" he brushed the side of her face with his fingertips, softly so he wouldn't hurt her inflamed skin.

She nodded. She had calmed down more now and was breathing normally. "Oh, John, I-I'm so sorry. I tried to stop him-" she gulped, trying not to cry when he put a finger on his lips to quiet her.

"Dejah, I hope you can forgive me. I was so stupid for thinking he wouldn't try something the second I left you alone. I'm so, so sorry." He moved forward as if to kiss her cheek or neck but pulled back suddenly.

Dejah tried not to show how much that hurt her as she pushed her hair away from her face, "John, don't be stupid! I managed for ten years without you-" here she faltered but pushed on, "And I should've been able to do something, like before, and-"

John cut her off angrily, "What do you mean 'like before'?" Has he touched you before today? You said-" He broke off when he saw the look on her face.

"He," she took a deep breath, "He didn't ever. . . I mean, before he only would shove me against the wall and whisper rude comments in my ear but . . ." She trailed off uncertainly. She started again when she read the anger in his expression. "Are you mad?" she asked quietly.

"Of course I'm mad!" he exploded.

She felt, and saw, him clench up and stiffen next to her. Believing him to be mad at her, Dejah stood calmly and went toward the door.

"What are you doing?" John asked warily.

"I'm-I'm leaving," she said as if it was obvious. "You're angry at me and so I'm leaving." She scrunched up her eyebrows.

"Dammit, Dejah, please come back over here!" John said, frustrated. She came back uncertainly and he grabbed her hand to pull her next to him on the bed. "Now, you may or may not know this, but on Earth, in Virginia, when couples fight it is always, always the woman who gets the room." He smiled at her and pulled her close, "Dejah, my love, my princess, I completely, utterly fail to comprehend how you can keep misunderstanding me so."

"I guess I've been out of practice," Dejah said wryly, reassured by his tone and his use of the ultimate Barsoomian endearment.

"Dejah-I-love-you!" he punctuated each word with a kiss on her bare shoulder, her neck, her cheek, her lips. "I haven't been upset with you since I've been back except for a second ago when you tried to leave." He chuckled, but then grew serious. "Dejah, why, what in either world would make you think that I would be angry at _you_ for something you had no control over? Did I do something in my mannerisms that caused you to think that I was suspicious of you?" He looked searchingly into her face, still beautiful under the tears and bruises. "I assure you, my princess, if I did it wasn't intentional."

"No, John, I just. . . I just can't understand why. . ." she took a deep breath and looked down at her hands curled in her lap.

"Why what?" he asked softly because he felt she needed the probing.

"Why-why you're here. Why I'm your princess. It doesn't make sense!"

He laughed a little, "It doesn't have to make sense; it's love. I'm here because I love you, Dejah; I thought I made that clear." His tone held a hint of reprimand but she knew he was just curious.

"What have done to deserve you? I can't even keep Zeam Rowni from touching me!" she exclaimed bitterly. "If you would've killed him, and we would've gone to war it would've been my fault for putting you in that position. As it is, do you know what will happen if Zeam tells people about this?" She pulled away from him so that they were no longer touching. "You deserve someone who can prevent another man from touching her and . . . and preserve your honor!"

"My honor? Is that what this is about?"

"No, but-"

"Love, by your logic, what have I done to deserve anyone, let alone you? I left for ten years and I couldn't stop Rowni from hurting you."

"That's different!"

"How?"

"I don't know! Oh, John, why aren't you mad at me? I deserve for you to be mad at me!"

"Dejah, you stayed faithful to me for ten years after I left you to people like Rowni! You fought for us the whole time! You never gave up on me. That is the best thing you could ever do to prove that you love me. Do you think it makes sense to me? You are the most beautiful, perfect woman on either world, and you've proven yourself to be the most faithful, and you chose me, a lowly Virginian. Do you think I deserve someone like you who never gave up on me?" He looked so exasperated that, under different circumstances, it would have been comical. "Dammit all!" And he kissed her as passionately as he could. He tried to be careful of her injuries, but didn't do a good job, not that she really noticed.

"Tell me that didn't feel right. Truthfully tell me you felt nothing, and I will leave." John said when they were forced to come up for air.

She abruptly started laughing breathlessly. When he looked at her questioningly she just shook her head and wordlessly went change into her nightgown. When she returned, John was in the sleepwear that had been custom made for him before he left. It resembled an earthly pair of sweatpants, and consisted of not much else. The bed itself had also been custom made because John preferred a real earth bed to the Barsoomian silks and furs.

"I'm sorry, John. I was being silly. But . . ." she hesitated, "you still owe me some explanations."

"I know." He put an arm around her, "Shoot."


	4. Chapter 4: Questions

Ch 4: Questions

"I guess," she sighed. She was snuggled up against John on the bed, nestled under his arm and pressed against his bare chest. "I guess what I really want to know is what you meant earlier, before the feast?"

She looked up at him. She hadn't quite been able to get his words 'not completely faithful' out of her head. She was almost afraid of what he did. It was perfectly acceptable in Barsoomian culture for a man to be with whomever he wanted to, even have multiple wives. She had always hoped that John wasn't like that, but she couldn't blame him if he was.

"About two months after I was sent back to Earth, I was feeling low. I was in a really bad spot. In the beginning, I was so filled with anger and purpose that I didn't have much time to feel bad. But after two months of nothing and getting nowhere, I was feeling hopeless," he began. She didn't say anything, just let him talk.

"I was in a bar and I was pretty drunk. There-there was this blonde who kept trying to flirt with me," Dejah began to get nervous. There weren't any naturally blonde women, or men, on Barsoom. The therns were the only ones with golden locks, and they wore wigs. Dejah knew that John's first wife and daughter were blonde. What if he preferred blondes?

John didn't seem to notice her insecure worries, however, and he continues with his story. "I tried to get her to leave me be, but obviously I didn't try hard enough, because she eventually managed to kiss me." He wouldn't look at her and she almost wanted to stop him before she found out how far this went. But he didn't say anything else.

"Is that all?" she asked incredulously.

"Well, yeah. Isn't that enough?" he asked wryly. "I realized that drinking away the time was getting me nowhere, not to mention putting me in difficult situations, so I kept away from alcohol after that and didn't drink a drop after that." He looked so upset and guilty that she couldn't help laughing at him.

"John, my silly Virginian!" she wrapped her arms around his neck and, still laughing, kissed him on the cheek. "Don't scare me like that!"

"What do you mean?"

"John! Have you really been beating yourself up over this for ten years?" she smiled at her clueless husband. "All you did was let some drunk girl kiss you in a bar!" she faltered, "You made it seem like you were sleeping with astronomers or something!" she said softer.

"Dejah, you know that I would never do something like that!" he looked at her, his confusion gone now. "You do, don't you!?" he demanded.

"Well," she hesitated, "Everyone said that if you were still alive, you must've found someone else. Even if you didn't you still could've done whatever and I wouldn't be able to blame you and . . ."

He cut her off, "What do you mean by that? Of course you could blame me! You should blame me for a lot! Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but on Earth, men do not let other women kiss them if they are in a relationship. Especially not married men!"

"I'm sorry, John. It was so long, and everyone kept saying . . . well, you aren't the only one who was in a bad spot."

"You thought I found someone else?"

"No, well, yes . . . I mean, I knew that you loved me and I knew you would come back, but I … I was afraid that you had found another women for in the meantime. You're a man, John. No one would've said anything. Not even on Earth."

"Dejah, since I met you, you have been the only woman I wanted to love, the only woman I wanted to kiss, the only woman I wanted to touch, the only woman I wanted to hold, the only woman I wanted to sleep next to at night, and the woman I wanted to wake up with in the morning. Even if no one would object, I wouldn't do that to you. You are all I will ever, ever need." He held up a hand to stop her from responding, "I know what you are going to say. Just the memory of you kept me warm all those nights. Your memory was far better than any other woman could ever be."

Her throat tightened. "John," she whispered. And then she was on him, kissing him fiercely. She climbed into his lap and wrapped her legs around his waist. Entangling her fingers in his hair, she pulled him closer. She felt his strong arms tighten around her, and she felt safe in a way she hadn't for ten long years.

When she finally released him, he drew back slowly. He made a strangled noise. Suddenly embarrassed, she looked at the bed, the floor, the wall, anywhere but him, even though she made no move to leave his lap.

Chuckling slightly, he leaned in and kissed her forehead and started to pull back but, apparently changing his mind, moved closer again to leave a trail of kisses going from her forehead down her jawline to her shoulder and her collarbone. He started back up again, kissing her neck and up to her lips, delighting in holding her up for so long. Idly Dejah wondered how long it would take for her to get over never wanting to let him go.

Eventually, John moved her gently onto the bed next to him because he still had a few questions for her.

"I shouldn't have done that. I apologize," Dejah said immediately.

John didn't answer, only shook his head and caressed her cheek with his fingertips.

"I mean, I . . . you probably didn't . . ." she continued, floundering.

"Dejah, why are you apologizing?"

"Well, because . . . People said . . ."

"Why do you let all these rumors get to you?"

"I-I don't know!" she exclaimed hopelessly. "Because they sounded plausible!"

"They always do, they're rumors." He sighed, "What did these ones say?"

"That, well, after I had to tell he council that we . . . that you and I . . . about our wedding night, some people said that you left because I was a good wife." She finished quickly without looking at him.

He made a growling noise in his throat and pushed her up against the headboard to kiss her. "Some people wouldn't know a good wife if she bit 'em in the-" he stopped partly because he didn't want to use profanity in front of his wife, and partly because his mouth was very busy. "About our wedding night . . ." he smiled at the look on her face, "Why did you flinch so when Rowni brought it up?"

"Oh," she laughed nervously, "because I didn't know how you would feel about me telling the council. I was afraid you wouldn't want me to."

"Is that all?" he had been secretly afraid that it was a bad experience for her.

Thuria had joined Cluros in the heavens, but now she disappeared behind the horizon. In that particular way of Mars, the room went from sufficient light to do any task to almost complete darkness.

John laughed at the disappointed look on the face of his princess. "I think that's our cue. Whatever is left to be said can be said as easily tomorrow as today." He said, pulling the covers over her. "Goodnight, my princess." She murmured sleepily and snuggled up to him. Dejah rested her head on his chest and fell asleep to the sound of him singing to her in English, as he had on that night so long ago.


End file.
